The leading armored vehicle manufacturer will use the facilities located near Edgefield, SC to expand its research and development activities and support the verification and quality control validation of Force Protection’s armored vehicles used to protect military personnel against explosive threats.

“These assets will be extremely valuable to our ongoing R&D efforts,” said Force Protection CEO Gordon McGilton. “Force Protection’s commitment to producing the world’s most advanced blast- and ballistic-protected vehicles is directly affected by our ability to continually improve upon the life-saving vehicle designs that have performed so well in the field. These new facilities will help strengthen this ability.”

Force Protection’s Buffalo and Cougar vehicles have been deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan since 2003 and have an unmatched record for troop safety after logging more than two million hours of heavy combat operations.

The company also recently introduced the Cheetah, a lighter weight blast-protected vehicle series designed for missions that require greater mobility in urban environments. Force Protection will conduct testing for all of its vehicle lines at this new facility.